Washing machine



Dec. 30, 1941. KUCHER 2,268,454

WASHING MACHINE Filed Juiy '7, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I Dem 1941- A. A. K UCHER 2,268,454

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 7, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q INVENTOR Dec. 30, 1941. A. A. KUCHER 2,263,454

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 7, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet6 a INVENTOR Dec. 30, 1941. A. A. KUCHER WASHING MACHINE Filed July 7, 1936 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Hlll INVENTOR Patented Dec. 30, 1941 WASHING MACHINE Andrew A. Kucher, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Application July 7, 1936, Serial No. 89,408

19 Claims.

' My present invention relates to washing machines.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide an improved washing machine employing a novel and efiicient apparatus for agitating the liquid therein. Incident to this broad object of my invention are numerous other more specific objects, the attainment of which all materially contribute to the achievement of the principal object. These more specific objects, all of which will be apparent from the following specification, claims and drawings forming a part hereof, include the following:

1. To provide a washing machine including 2 tub having means located therein and below the normal liquid level for agitating the liquid in the tub in a manner to provide an improved washing action.

2. To provide a washing machine wherein the impeller, operating shaft therefor and the bearing for the shaft are all located below the liquid level within the tub and having means in the form of an air lock for preventing the flow of liquid from the tub to the shaft or to the bearings for the shaft,

3. To provide a washing machine wherein the entire motor operated impeller unit is located below the normal level of liquid in the tub and wherein the flow of water from the tub to the motor is prevented by means including an air v lock.

4. To provide a unitary motor operated liquid agitating unit for a washing machine wherein many of the operating elements are arranged concentrically with respect to the operating shaft to thereby materially reduce the manufacturing cost of the unit and to render all of the elements easily accessible for disassembling and cleaning by the user.

5. To provide a method of agitating the liquid within the tub whereby the liquid is circulated upwardly adjacent the outer wall of the tub and downwardly adjacent the center of the tub with a minimum amount of rotary movement of the water about the center axis of the tub.

6. To provide a washing machine wherein the entire body of'liquid is circulated by the force of a relatively small fraction thereof, circulating at high rate of speed and in the same direction as the flow of the main body of liquid.

Other objects of a more specific nature will become apparent from the following specificationtaken with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of my improved washing machine.

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section through my improved motor operated circulating device.

Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section. of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a modified form of impeller.

Fig. 6 is a section through a modifiedform of washer wherein an improved circulation of liquid is obtained by the use of an impeller having neither intake or outlet.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 6 with the top cover plate of the tub removed.

With reference to Fig. 1, I have shown a tub l0 supported on legs H and provided with a motor operated liquid circulating device generally indicated at E2. The motor operated circulating device 12 includes an upper portion l3 located within the tub and a lower portion l4 located outside of and below the tub. Modified forms of the motor operated liquid circulating device are shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive.

With reference to Figs. 2 and 3, wherein I have shown one form of my improved motor operated liquid circulating unit l2, the bottom wall of the tub in is indicated at H. To this Wall is attached, by means of screw bolts I8, 8. lower or motor casing l9. Gaskets 20 are provided between the wall i'! and the casing l9 whereby leakage of liquid from the tub It! at this point is prevented.

The casing I9 is generally cylindrical in configuration and its upper horizontal wall 22 is extended upwardly near the center to form a vertically extending sleeve 23 notched at its upper end to receive a bearing 24. The lower wall of the casing I9 is in the form of a removable plate 25 secured to the casing IS in fluid tight relation therewith by means of the screw bolts 26. Near the center of the plate 25 is an annular upstanding lip 21 forming a cup 28 for receiving and supporting a bearing 29. a

The motor 30 within the casing l9 includes a stator 3| pressed into the casing l9 and the rotor 32 carried by the hollow armature shaft 33, ro-

tatably mounted, at its lower end in the bearing 29, and near its upper end in the bearing 24, the inner race 34 of which abuts the shoulder 35 formed on the shaft 33.

Slidingly keyed to the extended portion 36 of the shaft 33 is a liquid circulating device generally indicated at 40. A hand wheel 4| threaded onto the upper end of shaft 33 holds the device 40 securely in position on the shaft 33.

The circulating device 43 includes the vertical portion 42 and the horizontal portion 35. The vertical portion 32 surrounds in rather closely spaced relation the sleeve 23 and forms with the sleeve 23 a vertically extending pocket 33 for a purpose hereafter more fully described. The horizontal portion 45 constitutes the impeller proper and includes the upper horizontal wall 53, the lower horizontal wall and the vertical impeller blades 52 therebetween. The lower horizontal wall 5I terminates short of the inner end of the upper horizontal'wall to provide the central circular opening 54 and the entire circulating device is so mounted on the shaft 33 as to form between the lower horizontal wall 5| and the horizontal wall 22 of the casing I3 an annular space 55.

The entire circulating device is housed within a chamber 56 formed by the shell 51. This shell 51 is threaded to a rod 53, as at 53, which rod extends downwardly through the hollow shaft 33, and has its lower end screw threaded into the bottom wall 25 of the casing I3. Shell 51 is provided with an opening 53 opposite the impeller blades 52' and in this opening are located the louvers GI providing means for straightening the stream of liquid from the impeller blades 52, as

I more fully described hereinafter.

Around the lower edge of the shell 51 is pro- ,vided an annular flange 32 having formed there-,

in recesses for receiving rubber buffers 53.

As so far described, the apparatus operates as follows. The tub I3 is normally fllled with water or other washing fluid to a level substantially as indicated by the irregular line in Fig. 1. At this level the liquid circulating device is entirely submerged in the liquid. Operation of the impeller 4 causes a circulation of liquid outwardly, thence upwardly along the outer upright walls of the tub I3 and finally downwardly adjacent the center of the tub, all as shown by the arrows in Fig. l.

Circulation of the liquid about the vertical center axis of the' tub is prevented by means of the louvers 3|. Liquid enters the impeller through the circular opening 54 from the space 55.

An important feature of my invention is the provision of means for preventing the flow of liquid from the tub I3 to the hollow shaft 33, hearing 23 and the motor casing I3, during the operation of the washer. In this connection, it should be noted that the motor casing I3 is sealed at its lower end by the plate 25. Consequently,

aircan escape therefrom or enter thereto only through the sleeve 23 and hollow shaft 33.

In operation, the normal level of liquid within the tub I3 is above the top of the shell 51. In the act of fllling the tub I3, the liquid tends to I -force the air from beneath the shell 51 and from the pocket 33 into the motor casing I3 through the hollow shaft 33 and the sleeve 23 respectively. However, since the motor casing isseaied,

the air cannot] escape therefrom, and consequently it is trapped beneath the shell 51 and in the pocket 44 forming air locks. The heights of the casing 51 and the pocket 33 are so calculated that the air trapped therein while water is contained in the tub will always maintain the level of liquid beneath the shell 51 and in the pocket 43 well below the open end of the shaft 33 and well below the bearing 23.

effect to continuously supply air to the circulating stream of water without losing the benefits of the air locks hereinbefore described. 'Io accomplish this feature, I provide in the lower plate 25 a check or one-way valve 13 adapted to open when the air pressure within the motor casing I3 is reduced to a predetermined pressure.

Thus, air withdrawn from the chamber 53 and pocket 33, and forced into the stream of circualting liquid by the venturi effect of the liquid, as hereinbefore described, is immediately replaced by air flowing into the casing 13 through the valve 13 and thence through the openim 33 in the hollow shaft into the chamber 53.

- Specifically, this valve may be a spring loaded valve which may be regulated by means of the screw II a In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the shell 51 is shown as a casting with the louvers 5| integral therewith. Also the circulating device is shown as a casting with the impeller blades from the shaft 58 and removed, thereby exposing the circulating device. The hand wheel lI may then be unscrewed and the entire circulating device 43 removed from the hollow shaft 33. If access to the motor compartment is necessary, this may be accomplished by removing the plate 25.

the motor is shown as provided with a mechanically operated starting relay indicated generally at 65.

The embodiment of my invention disclosed in Fig..4diflers from that shown inFigs. 2 and 3,

primarily in that the air lock is formed by the V use of a Sylphon seal. In this modification, the motor casing need not be sealed.

With reference to Fig. 4, the motor casing I3 houses the motor 33' whose rotor 32' is fixed to a shaft- 33' extending upwardly through the sleeve 23' formed by the upstanding wall of the motor casing. This rotor 32 and the shaft 33' at its lower end, are supported in the bearing 23' and In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3,

at its upper end the shaft 33' is supported in the bearing 23. The shaft 33' is provided with a shoulder 35' against which bears the sealing This seal includes the flexible bellows I32 secured at one end to the annular member I33 threaded to the upstanding sleeve 23. At its other end, the flexible bellows is secured to the outwardly extending flange of the sealing ring I33. A spring In this manner, the flow of liquid from the tub 'I3 to the motor casing I3 or to the bearing 24 is prevented without the use of stufling boxes.

In actual operation, I have found that the flow I33 bearing against the wall of the circulating device 43' and the ring I33 holds the sealing ring surface I 33 against the shoulder 35'gto thereby seal thepocket 44' against the flow of air therefrom downwardly along the shaft to the motor] casing. a

The remaining elements, corresponding the elements-of Figs. 2 and 3' have been indicated by the same reference characters'prlmed and a 2,268,454 complete'description thereof is obviously unnecessary.

In operation of this embodiment of my improved washer, air is trapped within the pocket 44 by the seal I and consequently liquid cannot flow from the tub to the motor casing for the air trapped within the pocket 44' is always suflicientto maintain the level of liquid in the pocket below the seal IM.

A modification of impeller is shown in Fig. as including plates 200 and 2M held in spaced relation by means of the spacers 202. This form of impeller employs no vanes. It imparts centrifugal movement to the body of liquid between the plates and the centrifugal movement of this relatively small body of liquid imparts motion to the main body of liquid. In this modification as in Figs. 2 and 3, the vanes 203 are employed to straighten the currents of liquid leaving the space between theplates 200 and Figs. 6 and 7 show a further modified arrangement of washer in which the impeller is pro:- vided with neither an intake nor a discharge. In this form, the impeller consists of a substantially flat plate 2H1, the peripheral edge of which is formed with a conical surface 2H. The dome or housing 2I2 corresponding to the housing SI of Fig. 2, is arranged to direct the liquid in the tub downwardly into contact with the conical surface 2 of the impeller 2H] and the inwardly extending partition 213 formed on the housing prevents, to a large extent, the entrance of liquid to the chamber beneath the housing.

In this modification, the air lock may be used as in the other modifications. Other elements that may correspond to elements of Figs. 2 and 3 have been indicated by means of the same reference characters triple primed.

In the operation of the device disclosed in these figures the large body of water within the tub is caused to circulate by reason of the rapid circulation of a small portion thereof. For example, a thin film of water contacting the conical surface of the impeller is moved rapidly outwardly by the movement of the impeller itself. This movement is caused to be radial by the provision of the ribs 2 on the inner side of the tub.

The rapid movement of this thin film of liquid in the same general direction as the flow of the large body induces a flow in the large body and causes a rapid agitation of the water therein.

While certain forms of my invention have been described in connection with the drawings, it should be understood that other forms thereof could be substituted, all within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, an impeller within the tub below the normal liquid level therein, a drive shaft for said impeller, and means including an. air lock formed by a casing outside said tub for preventing the flow of liquid from said tub to said shaft. I 1

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, an impeller within said tub and below the level of liquid therein, a drive shaft for said impeller, a bearing for said shaft, and means including an air lock formed by 9. casing outside said tub for preventing the flow of liquid from said tub to said shaft and said bearing.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, an impeller within said tub and located below the normal liquid level therein, a motor for driving said impeller, a casing for said motor, said motor and easing being located below said impeller, and means including an air lock formed by said motor casing for preventing the flow of liquid from said tub to said motor.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, an impeller within said tub and located below the normal liquid level therein, a motor having its armature shaft directly connected to said impeller and having a motor casing, bearings for said shaft, and means including an air lock formed by said motorcasing for preventing the flow of liquid from said tu-b to saidmotor, said shaft and to said bearings.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, an impeller within said tub and below the liquid level therein, a motor for driving said impeller, and means including an air lock formed by a casing outside said tub for preventing the flow of liquid from said tub to said motor.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, a motor operated liquid circulating device associated with said tub, said circulating device including a casing having means therein for dividing said easing into two compartments, a motor in one of said compartments, an impeller in another of said compartments, and means including an air lock formed by said casing. for preventing the flow of liquid from said impeller compartment to said motor compartment.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, a motor operated liquid circulating device associated with said tub, said circulating device including a casing having means therein for dividing said casing into two compartments, one above the other, a'nimpeller in one of said compartments, a motor within the other of said compartments, both of said compartments being located below the normal liquid level within said tub, and means including an air lock formed by said casing for preventing the flow of liquid from said tub to said motor compartment.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, a motor operated liquid circulating device comprising a unitary structure including a hermetically sealed motor compartment housing a motor, and a compartment housing an impeller and means including an air lock formed by said hermetically sealed motor compartment for preventing the flow of liquid from one compartment to the other.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, an impeller within the tub, a motor for operating said impeller, said motor being located below the level of liquid in the tub, and means including an air lock formed by a hermetically sealed casing for preventing the flow of liquid from the tub to the motor.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tub, a unitary motor-impeller associated with said'tub having a portion extending into the tub and a hermetic casing portion without the tub, and means including an air lock formed by said hermetic casing portion for preventing the flow of liquid from the portion within the tub to the portion outside of the tub.

11. The combination comprising a washing machine tub, an impeller on the bottom of said tub, said impeller comprising a single substantially flat plate directly contacting the large body of liquid in said tub, means for rotating said impeller at a high rate of speed, and a cover for the impeller extending substantially to the periphery of the impeller.

12. A washing machine comprising a tub, an impeller within said tub rotatable about a vertical axis. a motor for rotating said impeller, said impeller comprising a single disc shaped plate having its peripheral edge tapered outwardly and downwardly, and cover ,means extending substantially to the upper peripheral edge of the plate for directing the liquid downwardly into contact with said tapered peripheral edge.

13. A washing machine comprising a tub, an impeller within said tub rotatable about a vertical axis, a motor for rotating said impeller, said impeller comprising a single disc shaped plate having its peripheral edge tapered outwardly and downwardly, and means for directing the liquid downwardly into contact with said tapered peripheral edge, said means including a shell for substantially enclosing the top surface of said impeller.

14. The combination comprising a washing machine tub, a disc shaped impellerin close relationship with the bottom of said tub'and rotatable about a vertical axis, means for rotating the impeller at a high rate' of speed; and a cover for the top surface of the impeller extending substantially to the periphery oi the impeller.

15. A washing machine comprising a closed tub, an impeller in said tub, a dome within the tub and substantially covering said impeller and providingan air bell, and means forming a conduit connecting the upper part of the dome with the exterior oi. the tub, the peripheral edge of said impeller and the bottom peripheral edge of the dome terminating adjacent one another and cooperating to provide means for withdrawin air from the dome and for ejecting such air into the water in the tub.

18. A washing machine comprising in combination, a tub; an impeller in the tub, said impeller including a rotatable elementrmeans adjacent the periphery of the rotatable element for directing whirling liquid substantially directly toward the side walls of the tub: means forming a cover for the top of the rotating.element: and means for rotating the element about a vertical axis. 1'7. A washing machine comprising in combination, a tub; an impeller in the tub including a rotatable plate and means on the plate for impelling liquid radially when the plate is rotated, said plate having an opening adjacent the center thereof and being disposed adjacent the bottom oi the tub; means for directing liquid upwardly into said opening, said plate, tub bottom and the last mentioned means forming an inlet forthe impeller; means forming a conduit'connecting theinlet with the exterior or the tub; and means for rotating the plate. 7

18. A washing chine comprising in combination, a tub; a shaped plate in the bottom oi-the tub; means for rotating the plate; a shell over the plate having an upwardly extending wall in substantial alignment with the peripheral edge of the plate, said shell having an opening directly above the plate tor-the withdrawal of air from the shell by the rotary action of the plate; and means forming a conduit between the upper part 01' the interior oi the shell .posed for withdrawing air from the interior of the inclosure by the action of the impeller and having a passage communicating with the exterior of the inclosureior the ingress of air to the shell; and means for actuating the impeller.

ANDREW A. KUCHER. 

